Chai Cream Pie

Last night I tried this recipe from the May issue of Cooking Light Magazine. It turned out much better than I anticipated, not only because I've never made a cream pie before, but also because I'm very picky about chai-flavored desserts. I love my chai lattes. Anyway, try this recipe, you will not be disappointed!

Chai Cream Pie

8 servings

• 1/2 (14.1-ounce) package refrigerated pie dough (such as Pillsbury) (I used a vanilla wafer pie crust that I made from scratch. It's not hard, but you could also use a store-bought pie crust. Honestly, I can't really imagine this pie with a doughy crust, so I leave this up to you.)
• Cooking spray
• 2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
• 8 cardamom pods, crushed (If you aren't using pods, one pod is equal to 1/6 teaspoon.)
• 8 whole cloves
• 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick, broken
• 1 (1/2-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger, crushed
• 1 black tea bag
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed (I used the regular Cool Whip. Obviously, use the fat-free if you want, but sometimes it's ok to go for the good stuff ;) )
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Roll dough into a 12-inch circle; fit into a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray. Fold edges under, and flute. Bake the pie crust according to package directions. Cool completely on a wire rack
2. Combine milk and the next 4 ingredients (through ginger) in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until the mixture reaches 180° or until tiny bubbles form around edge.
3. Remove from heat and add the tea bag; cover and let stand for 15 minutes.
4. Strain the mixture through a sieve over a bowl, and discard solids. Return milk mixture to pan, and cook over medium-high heat until the milk reaches 180° or until tiny bubbles form around edge.
5. Combine sugar, cornstarch, salt, and eggs in a large bowl, stirring well. Gradually add the hot milk mixture to sugar mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Return milk mixture to pan, and cook over medium heat 10 minutes or until thick and bubbly, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in butter.
6. Place pan in a large ice-filled bowl for 10 minutes or until filling cools, stirring occasionally.
7. Spoon mixture into crust; cover surface with plastic wrap. Chill 3 hours or until set; remove plastic wrap.
8. Top pie with whipped topping; garnish with ground cinnamon.

Chocolate-Covered Bacon

So, my friend Megan came to visit me from LA this past week, and naturally we had to make something special. She picked out this recipe from the Taste of Home Bacon Recipe Cards, an all bacon cookbook my future mother-in-law gave us for Christmas (which, how awesome is that?!). I highly recommend doing what we did and taking these to the pool with a giant batch of piña coladas. I guarantee that everyone at the pool will be giving you the evil eye. Because you have chocolate-covered bacon. And they do not.

Chocolate-Covered Bacon

Makes 1 dozen

12 thick-sliced bacon strips

12 wooden skewers, 12 inches long

6 oz white chocolate, chopped

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 Tbs shortening

Other optional toppings

1. Thread each bacon strip onto a wooden skewer, and place on a rack in a large baking pan.
2. Bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes, or until desired crispiness.
3. Cool bacon completely.
4. In a microwave, or a double boiler, melt white chocolate until smooth.
5. Combine chocolate chips and shortening, and melt in the microwave or a double boiler, stirring until smooth.
6. With pastry brushes, coat the bacon on both sides with the melted chocolate.
7. Top each strip as desired and place on wax-paper lined baking sheets.
8. Refrigerate until firm.

Potato Pancakes and Roasted Beets with Citrus and Feta

Last night's dinner was a big win. I mean, BIG. The salad was so fantastic and fresh, and the potato pancakes turned out better than expected. Although not an entirely vegetarian meal (I fried the onions in bacon fat), it would be extremely easy to make it so. If you were to make anything from this post, I would highly suggest the salad. Even if you don't like beets, give it a try. It's fantastic! The salad came from Bon Appetit magazine, and the pancakes came from Cooking Light.

Roasted Beets and Citrus with Feta

4 servings

Prep time: 1 hour 50 minutes

Vinaigrette

3 Tbs balsamic vinegar

2 tsp Dijon mustard

2 tsp finely grated orange peel

2 tsp finely grated grapefruit peel

1 tsp honey

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salad

4 medium sized unpeeled beets, tops trimmed

1 Tbs olive oil

6 oz baby spinach

2 small pink or ruby red grapefruits, all peel and pith trimmed away, segments cut from between membranes

2 oranges, all peel and pith trimmed away, segments cut from between membranes (I used honey tangerines which gave an added sweetness to the salad, and next time I would like to try blood oranges.)

3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Vinaigrette

1. Whisk vinegar, mustard, citrus peels, and honey in a small bowl.
2. Gradually whisk in oil.
3. Season with salt and pepper.

Salad

1. Preheat oven to 400°F
2. Toss beets and oil in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Wrap each beet in foil and place directly on the oven rack, roasting for 60 to 70 minutes or until tender.
4. Open foil and cool for 30 minutes.
5. Rub off skin and cut each beet into 8 wedges.
6. Place spinach in a large bowl and toss with 2 Tbs of vinaigrette, then divide among plates.
7. Add beets and citrus segments to the same large bowl and toss with 2 Tbs of vinaigrette.
8. Add beet mixture on top of the spinach and sprinkle with cheese and chives.
9. Serve, passing remaining vinaigrette.

Smokey Potato Pancakes

4 servings

Prep Time: 45 minutes

2 slices of bacon (or 2 Tbs bacon fat, as I did)

2 cups chopped onion

1 cup thinly slices leek

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 1/2 lbs. shredded peeled baking potato (about 2 large potatoes)

1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

2 large eggs

cooking spray

1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 425° F
2. Cook bacon, if using, in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp.
3. Remove bacon from pan using a slotted spoon and crumble.
4. Add onion to drippings in pan, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add leek and garlic, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
6. Combine onion mixture, grated potato, cheddar, 3/4 tsp salt, black pepper, and 2 large eggs in a medium bowl, stirring well.
7. Divide potato mixture into 8 equal portions and shape each into a 1/2-inch thick patty.
8. Coat patties lightly with cooking spray
9. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden and set.
10. Top with bacon and sour cream.